Health care is an industry that continues to grow rapidly and has given many colleges like MATC’s downtown campus the opportunity to move forward by expanding. Years ago, a facility design plan and assessment was completed and revealed some eye-opening news. “MATC had an assessment done on all the divisions and the School of Health Sciences flourished to the top in terms of over capacity, we have outgrown our space by 30 percent,” stated Dessi Levy, Ph.D., RN, the Dean of School of Health Sciences. A light came on at the right moment when the old Everest location became available and the college took over the building. Recently, the HEC Building (Health Education Center) had a Phase 1 soft opening for the 2014 spring semester. The onsite administrator Vickie Hinds, RN, Dr. Levy, and the support staff helped unpack and arrange things for the new facility. “The students were very supportive and accommodating being the first batch of students starting at the facility,” stated Levy. The administration shifted over to the new facility and greeted students with enthusiasm.
This facility has so much to offer the students planning on entering the medical field. One growing program, Medical Assistant, used to have 1 to 1.5 classrooms in the H Building but with this expansion the program has multiple classrooms and labs to take in more students. The HEC building is at 1311 N. Sixth Street in downtown Milwaukee. The HEC offers the same medical programs currently and may incorporate some nursing classes, as well as the paramedic and pharmacy tech program. Dr. Levy mentioned, “Fall Phase 2 will include the CNA class expansion at the HEC building with the goal to reach out to the local high schools so students can work while they attend school.”  Programs such as Medical Coding, Medical Interpreter, Health Information Technology (HIT), Health Administration and some pre-college classes now have sections out of the HEC. There are hopes to include the nursing students at the HEC to accommodate the 2020 collaboration with UW-Milwaukee to have nursing degrees be four-year degrees.
The students also have access to advising and counselors who are available part time to assist them with the necessities and requirements for the programs. Workforce Career Planning also has a traveling office in the HEC building. Parking is convenient for the students and the lot is available to all MATC students who have purchased a parking pass.